The characters of Final Fantasy VIII include an elite group of mercenaries called SeeD, as well as soldiers, rebels, and political leaders of various nations and cities. Thirteen weeks after the 1999 North American release of Final Fantasy VIII, a role-playing video game by Square, it had earned more than $50 million in sales, making it the fastest selling Final Fantasy title at the time. The game's characters, created by Tetsuya Nomura under the direction of Yoshinori Kitase (pictured), are the first in the series to be realistically proportioned in all aspects of the game. This graphical shift, as well as the cast itself, have received generally positive reviews from gaming magazines and websites. The six main playable characters are the loner Squall Leonhart, the passionate Rinoa Heartilly, the instructor Quistis Trepe, the martial artist Zell Dincht, the cheerful pilot Selphie Tilmitt, and the marksman Irvine Kinneas.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Characters_of_Final_Fantasy_VIII

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1851:

As part of the celebration of the separation of Victoria from New South Wales, the initial first-class cricket match in Australia started at the Launceston Racecourse in Tasmania. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Diemen%27s_Land_v_Port_Phillip,_1851

1919:

Friedrich Ebert was elected the first President of the German Weimar Republic by the Weimar National Assembly. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Ebert

1979:

The Pahlavi dynasty of Iran effectively collapsed when the military declared itself "neutral" after rebel troops overwhelmed forces loyal to Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in armed street fighting. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_Revolution

2015:

A Turkish student was murdered during a rape attempt, sparking mass demonstrations across the nation after her body was discovered two days later. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_%C3%96zgecan_Aslan

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

boffin: 1. (Australia, Britain, informal) An engineer or scientist, especially one engaged in technological or military research. 2. (Australia, Britain, informal, by extension) A person with specialized knowledge or skills, especially one who is socially awkward; (in a weaker sense) an intellectual; a smart person. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/boffin

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Do not lie without need.   --Leó Szilárd https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Le%C3%B3_Szil%C3%A1rd